Glasshouse Journal

Beauty box: Colour Block

Bright, bold and oh-so-playful, a colour-blocked eyelid is a surefire way of cheering up the season’s darkening skies. Swept confidently across the lid in every shade from crimson to cobalt, we’re all over this statement-making beauty trick. And the best part? This look ditches the make-up brush and favours a hands on application instead - ideal for a quick, fuss-free colour injection for girls on the go…

Depending on the finish you’re after, the initial choice to be made is whether to go for a powder or a creme eyeshadow. Whilst a bright, matte finish might not work for everyday wear, a glossier, more subtle effect can be achieved by using RMS Beauty’s innovative Eye Polishes. These coconut oil-based eye cremes can be used sparingly as a sheer veil of colour over the eyelid, or built up for a more opaque shade - the deep plummy hue of RMS Eye Polish in Imagine and the ocean blue of Inspire are both particularly striking when applied with a graphic, squared-off edge.

If you’re not one for things in moderation, this trend can be worn all-out in a full colour shade. Vegan and animal cruelty free make-up brand Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, create a high-impact Lip Tar in a whole palette of matte hues. Designed for the lips, but just as effective on the eyes, just a small dot of this wonder product is enough to be blended across the lid for total colour block.

Keeping the rest of the face bare is the trick to steering this look away from garishness, and confining the product to the eyelids rather than circling the entire eye also keeps it cool rather than costume-like: take a leaf out of Christina Ricci’s book in Buffalo 66 and pair a vivid eye with a nude lip for a butter-wouldn’t-melt look with plenty of girlish appeal.

We also suggest matching this modern eye look with equally directional clothes: think boxy shapes and plenty of monochrome to balance out the colour. This is a look that doesn’t take itself too seriously - if you’ve never tried a strip of crimson across your lids, there’s no time like the present to start experimenting…